U.S. Government humanitarian assistance to Peru in response to Venezuelan migration reaches $4.1 million

Sep. 6, 2018 – U.S. Ambassador to Peru Krishna R. Urs authorized an additional $500,000 to support humanitarian assistance efforts in Peru in the priority sector of health to respond to the continuing influx of Venezuelan migrants. The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance is providing the assistance through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for vaccinations and other urgently required health care services in communities hosting vulnerable Venezuelans.

Ambassador Urs explained: “This humanitarian assistance is in support of the government of Peru’s emergency declaration in health and sanitation. As a friend and partner, the United States recognizes Peru’s regional leadership in responding to the Venezuelan migration crisis.”

The funding is in addition to $3.6 million assistance previously provided through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Populations, Refugees, and Migration in multi-sector assistance to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Today’s announcement brings overall Fiscal Year 2018 funding in Peru for the U.S. Government’s Venezuela Regional Response to $4.1 million.

The United States is supporting emergency response efforts throughout the region as an influx of vulnerable Venezuelans strain national health care systems and other social services of countries in the region. Also as part of the effort, on August 31, U.S. Southern Command announced the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort will deploy to Honduras, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador in late September to provide medical assistance based on the needs identified by each host nation.